


His Dad

by Ravenia



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: Family, Family Feels, Fluff, Gen, Parent-Child Relationship, Spoilers, Vesperia Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-11-14 21:43:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18060701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ravenia/pseuds/Ravenia
Summary: Well, sure, he considered Raven the father he never had. But it wasn’t as if he was going to tell the old man that any time soon.Or, Yuri accidentally calls Raven “dad” after sparring. [Spoilers, fluff]





	His Dad

**Author's Note:**

> This one-shot will HAVE SPOILERS. So if you haven't played/completed the game, don't read this.
> 
> I adore this game and the cast of characters, to say the least.

**Y** uri didn’t know when it started.

If anyone had told him that he would have a father figure after giving up a long time ago, he would have questioned their sanity.

If anyone had told him that he would _see_ _Raven as his dad,_ he would have sent Repede off to bite their heels.

A strange old man who turned out to be an Imperial Knight Captain and important figure in Dahngrest?

Much less an immortal old man who lived through the Great War?

Righhttt.

Still, it had happened.

Maybe it was the talks they’d had. About duty and responsibility, being the one to take on the burden of looking after everyone even if everything was falling apart. Asking, in his own strange, convoluted way, if he was okay (“Looking after everyone?” Raven asked with a raised eyebrow), checking if he was fine.

When it was found that Raven was Schwann, was Alexei’s right-hand man, he had been stunned. Not only stunned, but it had left a gaping hole of disbelief. Of betrayal.

Then pure, white-hot rage. _Why_?

And when Raven had _sacrificed himself for them_ , he broke.

But he didn’t break in front of everyone. He couldn't. He had mustered his mask, pulled on a shield of stoicism and wrapped it _close_ so _it didn’t hurt and he could pretend_ – and left with the others. Because…because he had a responsibility and he had seen that look in Raven had given him, that he trusted him, Yuri, to move on and do what needed to be done.

No one ever had that much trust in him. No one who he looked up to as an older figure. A male older figure who he respected and treated him as if he was his own flesh and blood.

Hanks might have been, and still was in some ways, but he wasn’t Raven. Raven had experienced everything with them, knew how much and whose blood coated his hands and looked after him like a father did. Hanks had to look out for all of the lower quarters.

“Dreaming again, kid?” the familiar drawl pulled him out of his thoughts.

“Shut up, old man.” Yuri didn’t miss a beat as he pulled out his sword to parry the man’s blade. “You’re late.”

“It’s these old bones, ya know,” Raven complained as he ducked under a swing. “Hey, watch it!”

The two started their spar.

It had become a regular routine when Yuri had asked (demanded in his own style) that Raven worked with him on his swordsmanship. The old man had grumbled and complained but given in…eventually.

* * *

 

**With the others**

"They’re at it again?” Karol asked as he eyed the paperwork on his desk with a grimace.

“Obviously.” Rita rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest.

Estelle, looking out the window tapped a finger on her chin. “I wonder... do you think Raven knows?”

It had been obvious to all of them that Raven had been treating Yuri like his own son for a long while now. But it wasn’t clear if the old man knew that Yuri considered him his father. Or if he realized that he essentially considered Yuri his son.

“Are you kidding me? The old man’s dense as a brick.”

Amusement crossed the princess’s face before worry made itself known. “Still… I hope it goes well.”

* * *

 

Tired, panting and sweaty, Raven finally sheathed his sword before offering a hand to Yuri who was flat on the ground.

“Good spar, kid.”

Taking it, Yuri pulled himself up and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

“Thanks, dad.”

Time froze.

“What did you say?” the old man said slowly, not sure if he’d heard right.

Did Yuri just –

* * *

_**D** ammit._

Yuri steeled his nerves.

“You heard me.” He said as Raven looked at him, stunned.

“I never knew my father,” the long-haired male said. He could do this. “And Hanks? He’s not…he’s not you. He hasn’t… he hasn’t traveled with me. Doesn’t know what I’ve done.” Yuri stared at his clenched fists. _Blood. Murderer. Killer._ “He doesn’t know.”

“Kid - ”

“You watched over me. Talked with me. Gave me advice, as shitty as some of them were.” Yuri steadily met Raven’s gaze before taking a deep breath. “So. You’re my dad.”

“…I’m going to check on the others.” Changing the subject abruptly, Yuri left.

* * *

Raven stared at Yuri’s retreating back.

_Dad._

Someone – _Yuri_ – considered him his father.

A parent.

He had lived through the Great War, fought countless battles and achieved countless accomplishments, but this…

Him, a parent?

Well sure, he took care of the kid, but…

He needed answers.

He needed time.

* * *

_**“** Where’s daddy?”_

_“He’s not here, sweetheart.”_

Yuri stared at the stunning scenery below him, legs dangling below. But he wasn’t looking. Not really.

_“Can he come play too?”_

_“He’s busy right now.”_

Memories flooded his mind, but Yuri squashed them all. It was… He would be fine if Raven didn’t see him as his son. He would, he would, he would.

_Lies._

* * *

Judith was the one who found him. She didn’t even have to say a word before he spoke.

“Did you know -”

“That Yuri considers you his father?” Judith finished.

Raven blinked, turning around to look at her in disbelief.

“We’ve all known for awhile now,” the lancer said in amusement before turning serious. “Yuri considers you the closest thing he has to a parent. He trusts and respects you.”

“But why me?” He didn’t understand. Sure, he took care of the kid. Gave him advice and all, but it wasn’t as if he knew the kid well.

As if he would know if Yuri was upset, or breaking under the weight of whichever burden he was carrying. As if he would know the kid’s hobbies and quirks, or the kid’s tendency to go vigilante, or feel proud when -

Oh.

He…did.

And…and he had been like this for a while. Treating Yuri as if he was his own son. Not that he knew when it had happened, just that it actually _had_ happened.

“You might want to go look for him now before Flynn or Estelle come after you,” Judith said with amusement.

Raven blanched.

Right.

“That…might be best.” He paused before looking at her seriously. “Thanks, Judy.”

The man gave the lancer a salute and a (extremely rare) genuine smile as he disappeared to find Yuri.

* * *

**Y** uri blinked as a familiar figure plopped down beside him.

“How the - ”

“The Great Raven always knows,” Raven waggled his fingers dramatically.

Yuri snorted.

A silence came upon them before the former imperial knight captain broke it.

“I don’t know how to be a parent,” Raven finally said. “Never considered being one either. But I do consider you a… _my_ …son.”

The long-haired male stared at the old man for a moment.

He was serious.

_“Mama, where’s dad?”_

_“He’s not here, sweetheart.”_

But that’s okay.

That’s okay, because he had Raven now. A strange man, but one who was his _dad_ , his _father_ in all the ways that mattered.

Yuri smiled.

* * *

Raven never thought that he would find friends after the Great War, much less a family. A _son_.

But despite Alexei’s machinations and everything else…

The man smiled and ruffled Yuri’s hair. “C’mon, kid. Let’s go.”


End file.
